Pneumatic tire.



l PNEuMA'nc TIRE.

(Application led July 31, 1899.)

inl/a f ATTORN EY No. 639,95l.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES Nrrnn STATES ATnNr turcs.

BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TAYLORTIRE AND DEVELOPEMENT COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PN EU MATIC TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,951, dated December26, 1899.

Application filed Julyr 31,1899.

T0 all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic Tires, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved armored tire for bicycles or otherclass of vehicles wherein the tire is divided into two compartments, onefor compressed air and the other filled with a non-puncturable material.Heretofore raw cotton has been used as a iiller for this purpose; but myinvention consists more particularly in the form or shape which the rawcotton is made to assume, whereby greater resiliency and resistance areacquired. For this purpose I select long-staple cotton and card it insheets, so that the bers of the cotton will interlock more readily, andthen with an unbroken sheet whose length represents the circumference ordistance around the tire roll such sheet spirally in cross-section.

Further, my invention consists in knitting an open-mesh cover aroundthis roll, so as to keep it in shape during the continuous handlingwhich it is subjected to between the rolling process and its insertioninto the mold for vulcanizing.

To enable others to understand my invention, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a brokenperspective View of a sheet of raw cotton rolled up the fullsizerequired. Fig. 2 shows the sheet partially rolled. Fig. 3 is a brokenperspective view of a section of thecotton ller rolled and envelopedwith a net or cover. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a rubber tire, showingthe two compartments-viz., one for compressed air and the other for thecotton iiller or armor. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the rubber tire,showing the cotton filler or armor placed in the upper compartment. Fig.6 is a View showing the rope-like form of the filling material havingits ends lapped and secured together in readiness to be placed in themold for vulcanizing. Fig. 7 shows the completed Serial No. 725.561. (Nomodel.)

filler folded up'for transportation. Fig. S is a modified form ofconstructing the filler,which is done by dovetailing or lapping the endsof two sheets together, so as to prevent creeping or separating of thesections.

While, as before mentioned, raw cotton has been used as a ller forrubber tires, it has in most cases been packed into the chamber of thetire in broken masses, thus forming no effective protection againstseparation. In 6o cases where it has first been stuffed into a clothtube the cloth will interfere with the expansion of the cotton, sb as toprevent its completely filling the crescent-shaped upper chamber of therubber tire when the lower chamber of such tire is iniiated.

1, Fig. 2, represents a sheet of raw cotton partially rolled upon itselfwith, the long-staple carded lengthwise of the sheet and when fullyrolled will assume the shape as shown 7o at Fig. 1. When, therefore, itis inserted into the upper chamber 2 of the tire 3, (shown at Fig. 5,)it will readily fill the lower corners 2a, where the diaphragm 4connects with the interior wall of the tire, so that when the lowerchamber 5 is iniiated the outward pressure against said diaphragm willcompress the roll of cotton and permit it to expand sufficient tocompletely fill these corners. If, however, the cotton be too closelyconfined, as when 8o enveloped in a close wrapper or case, it cannotexpand under the pressure of the air, so that a wrinkle will be formedin the wall of the tire at the junction of the diaphragm with such wall.

The rolled construction shown at Fig. l is admirably adapted to operateas a filler, not only in its ability to completely fill thecrescent-shaped chamber of the tire when placed therein, as abovedescribed, but such rolled 9o construction will offer much betterprotection against puncture than in any other form in which cotton canbe used; but before it is placed in the mold for vnlcanizing it isextremely delicate, and the slightest strain will elongate the rope orroll, and instead of having a uniform diameter throughout its wholelength there will be places where the diameter is more or less reduced,so that when the tire is removed from the mold and inflated roo softspots will appear in the tire wherever the thin or narrow placesoccurred in the roll before vulcanizing.

To protect the roll of cotton against the disturbing infiuences abovedescribed, the roll as soon as formed is covered with a knit web G,Figs. 3, 6, and 7, which completely envelops its outer circumferentialsurface. This web is not knit firm enough to increase the density of theroll, but simply to retain its original form intact, so that when rolledor folded up for transportation, as shown at Fig. 7, its original shapeor size will not be altered. In fact, the loose open-mesh webbing willeffectually prevent the elongation of the roll of cotton which itenvelops, as such webbing will not give or stretch suicient to separatethe bers of the cotton. When thus protected, the roll can be roughlyhandled with perfect safety. Besides, this webbing will also protect theouter surface of the roll,

so that it cannot be defaced or torn, which would also give bad result,for it is absolutely imperative that the roll should be accurately andevenly placed in the mold in order to insure a perfect tire.

In Fig. S is shown a modified form of the iiller, which consists of thetwo sheets 7 and 8, which are folded U shape and dovetailed together.These sheets may be of sufficient length to extend entirely around thetire or they may be made in short lengths, as shown,

in which case a second pair of sheets 7a and 8 will be lapped onto theothers.

To permit the diaphragm 4f to expand or move in either direction and notdraw on the sides of the tire, so as to distort such tire, I haveprovided the depression or corrugation 4a on the under side of saiddiaphragm and running circumferentially around the tire. This will giveextra stock to draw from and not pull on the side walls of the tire.

In practice l hold myself at liberty to use the filler with or withoutthe network.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a double compartment pneumatic tire, of anon-punctur able filler or armor composed of an unbroken sheet ofcotton-wool, rolled upon itself so as to present a spiral appearance incross-section, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a doublecompartment pneumatic tire, of anon-puncturable filling material or armor composed of an unbroken sheetof cotton adapted to extend entirely around the tire, said sheet rolledspirally in cross-section, a loose open network encircling said rolledconstruction so as to protect the same from being damaged preparatory tothe operation of vulcanizing, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a doublecompartment pneumatic tire, of a filleror armor composed of an unbroken sheet of long-staple cotton-wool cardedso as to increase its density and tenacity, said sheet rolled spirallyin cross-section, a loose open network encircling such rolledconstruction so as to protect the same against damage preparatory to theprocess of vulcanizing, for the purpose set forth.

t. The combination, in a double-compartment pneumatic tire, one of saidcompartments adapted to hold a non-puncturable filler or armor,the otheradapted to hold compressed air and having a diaphragm separating suchcompartments, of a depression in said diaphragm adapted to increase thewidth of such diaphragm when internal pressure is applied go said tire,as shown and for the purpose set Orth.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, this 15th day of July, A. D. 1899.

BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

SIG. DORMITZER, HILDA ECKLER.

